California open fishing seasons vary by fish species; by boat-based anglers, shore-based anglers, and divers; by California regions, and are subject to change. Southern California fishing regulations boundaries start at the U.S. – Mexico Border and extend to Point Conception, Santa Barbara County (34°27 N. Latitude). This includes San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura and a portion of Santa Barbara County.
California Open Fishing Seasons
The following fish species have open and closed fishing seasons. Regulations vary by boat-based anglers, shore-based anglers, and divers and are subject to change.
Always check the Current Southern California Open Season Fishing Regulations for current updates or call the Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations Hotline (831) 649-2801 for the latest information. Also find Open Fishing Seasons for all California regions.
- Abalone: Closed for fishing. This has been extended statewide through April 1, 2036.
- Cabezon: Normally found nearshore and they are often found near kelp beds, jetties, isolated rocky reefs, or pinnacles, and in shallow tide pools. Most of their time is spent sitting in rock crevices, on reefs, in tidepools, or on kelp blades beneath the canopy, but not actively swimming. Open season is usually from April 1 – December 31.
- California Halibut: The geographic range for California halibut (halibut) extends from the Quillayute River in northern Washington to Cabo Falsa in southern Baja California, Mexico. Fishing for halibut is open year-round. Daily limit is 5 fish with a minimum size of 22 inches.
- California Scorpionfish (a.k.a. sculpin): Live from tide pools and juveniles and adults are most abundant on hard bottom such as rocky reefs, sewer pipes and wrecks. Open season all year, with some exceptions in specific areas. No minimum size limit. Daily limit is 5 fish.
- California Sheephead: Fished primarily south of Point Conception (Santa Barbara County) in nearshore waters around the offshore islands and along the mainland shore over rocky reefs and in kelp forests. Open season is usually March 1 – December 31, but open all year to shore-fishing and diving. Daily limit is 2 fish with a minimum size of 12 inches.
- Clams: Found buried in surf sand. Fishing license is required. Open season all year. Minimum size of 4 and a half inches in diameter with a daily limit of 10. Digging hours are open from half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset.
- Dungeness Crabs: Dungeness Crab season varies by fishing region but is often open as early as November and closed by July. It is common for the CDFW to push back the start date or end the crab season early due to population concerns, to protect migrating whales, meat quality, and other reasons. Daily limit is 10 with a minimum size of five and three quarter inches.
- Giant Sea Bass (a.k.a. black sea bass): Giant sea bass are prohibited for recreational take. There is no open season. Most commercial fisheries are also prohibited from taking or landing giant sea bass; however exceptions exist for fish taken incidentally in certain net fisheries.
- Kelp and Rock Greenlings: Kelp greenling are a popular target for recreational rocky shore anglers and divers in central and northern California. Rock greenling are caught by shore-based and boat-based anglers fishing in waters north of San Francisco. Open season usually runs from mid-July through December 31, but may be subject to restrictions and early closures.
- Kelp Bass, Barred Sand Bass, Spotted Sand Bass: Kelp bass range from the Columbia River in Washington south to southern Baja California, Mexico, but are rare north of Point Conception in California. Barred sand bass range from Santa Cruz, California, to southern Baja California, Mexico, but are rare north of Point Conception. Spotted sand bass are considered sub-tropical and range from Monterey, California to Acapulco, Mexico, including the Gulf of California, and are most common from Newport Bay to the Gulf of California. Open season year-round. Minimum size is 14 inches with a daily limit of 5 combined.
- Leopard Shark: Targeted by recreational anglers and small-scale commercial fisheries in California ocean waters. Recreational anglers land the majority of the leopard shark. Open year-round. Minimum size is 36 inches with a daily limit of 3.
- Lingcod: Live on or near the bottom of the ocean (with a few exceptions). Open season is March through December. There is a 2-fish limit with minimum size of 22 inches.
- Mussels: Submerged, hard surfaces within the middle intertidal zone to subtidal areas up to 24 meters (79 feet) in depth. They favor surf zones and attach themselves to exposed rocks, pilings, or other mussels in those areas. Open season is from November through April with a total bag limit of 10 pounds. A fishing license is required. There is no harvesting may through October due to potential of toxic shellfish poisoning.
- Ocean Salmon: Found in the ocean from the Bering Sea, Alaska and Japan to central Baja California, Mexico. Most commonly, Chinook are distributed from San Luis Obispo County, California, north to the Bering Sea, Alaska. Open season may vary, and is often closed, but recreational ocean salmon fishing opens in 2026 on April 11 and runs through the end of the summer. There is a 2 fish daily limit with a minimum size of 24 inches.
- Ocean Whitefish: Found in deep sandy bottom habitats during the day, but move to shallow rocky reef or kelp bed habitat at night. Open year-round. 10 fish daily limit with no minimum size.
Other Federally Managed Groundfish
- Pacific Herring: Found in places with protected water, near considerably deep channels. Open year round, up to 100 pounds per day or 520 fish.
- Pacific Sanddab and Other Flatfish: Pacific sanddabs prefer deep, sandy environments. They are found between the intertidal and 549 meters (1,800 feet). They are most abundant at depths between about 40 and 100 meters (120 and 300 feet). Open year round. No limit for sanddabs.
- Petrale Sole and Starry Flounder: Starry flounder can be found from the Bering Sea, Alaska to Los Angeles Harbor, southern California. They are most common north of Point Conception, California. Open year-round with no limits.
- Rock Crab: Landings are higher in the Southern California Bight with concentrations of landings along the mainland of the Santa Barbara Channel, northern Channel Islands, and Point Loma. Landings north of the bight are concentrated around Morro and San Francisco Bays. The average fishing depth is 120 feet. Open year round with a daily bag limit of 35 and a minimum size of 4 inches at the widest part of the shell.
- Rockfish: Part of a group of fish known as groundfish, which includes over 90 species that live on or near the bottom of the ocean (with a few exceptions). Open season runs April 1st through the end of December, with some regulations applying later in the season. There is usually a 10-fish daily limit with no size minimum, and prohibition of any taking of quillback rockfish.
- Sharks (State-managed): Generally open to fish year-round except white sharks may not be taken or possessed at any time. Legal species for taking include Mako, blue, and thresher with a 2 fish limit per day.
- Soupfin Shark and Spiny Dogfish: Sport fishing boats in San Francisco Bay and southern California began targeting soupfin. Recreational anglers in California do not target spiny dogfish; however, due to its voracious feeding nature, it is frequently caught incidentally and considered a nuisance by many recreational anglers. Open season year round with a 1-fish limit per day.
- Spiny Lobster: The commercial spiny lobster fishery ranges from Point Conception south to the U.S. and Mexico border. The California recreational fishery ranges from Central San Luis Obispo County south to the U.S. and Mexico border. Open season usually runs from the end of September through mid-March. There is a daily limit of 7 per person and a minimum limit of 3 and 1/4 inches in length.
- Surfperch: Found in places where there’s a deep hole or depression nearshore. Open year-round. Daily bag limit of 20, with a maximum of 10 for any single species.
- Trout: Trout fishing season opens on the last Saturday in April through November 15th every year. Some areas allow catch-and-release only year round. Daily limit of 10 in possession.
- Tunas: Tunas range throughout the West coast. Open year round. 10-fish daily limit.
- White Seabass: White seabass range from Point Conception, California to Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico. During warmer years, individuals have been caught as far north as Juneau, Alaska. They are also found in the northern Gulf of California. Open year round. One-fish limit from March through June, otherwise there is a 3-fish limit. Minimum size is 28 inches.
- Yellowtail: Yellowtail are primarily caught in nearshore waters near kelp forest or other reef habitats, or from underneath floating kelp mats offshore. Open year-round. 10-fish daily limit, with 24-inch minimum size limit.
California Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources
- Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations
- Southern California Marine Protected Areas
- California Beach Fishing (including free fishing piers, jetties & breakwaters)
- Inland and Freshwater Sport Fishing
- Fishing & Diving Records
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